While the school year is nearing the end in most places, Brian Daboll is just beginning to share his lesson plans with the Giants.
“This is an instructional camp,” the third-year head coach said before the third of 10 OTAs. “How you perform here does not determine your roster spot.”
Try telling a player whose roster will change between now and training camp that his practice won’t be graded closely.
Or even to the handful of players who get cut when others are added to the 90-man roster in the offseason.
Here are eight players who could gain something or lose something in the coming weeks.
OTAs resume on Tuesday for the first of three this week.
What you get
QB Tommy DeVito
If Drew Lock doesn’t improve his lackluster fundamentals soon, he could find himself in a summer battle with DeVito for the backup spot instead of pushing out Daniel Jones for the starter spot.
DeVito still holds onto the ball for too long against the pass rush, but his arm strength is outstanding.
A strong spring might force the Giants to start thinking ahead about how to create space for three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster to keep DeVito off waivers and thus earn him a larger salary.
WR Isaiah Hodgins
Hodgins will take over as starter with Darius Slayton missing OTAs.
Assuming Slayton’s contract dispute is resolved, four receivers will be locked into roster spots, leaving Hodgins to compete for one of the two or three remaining spots against players with longer stints (Allen Robinson, Isaiah McKenzie) or more versatility (Gunner Olszewski, Bryce Ford Wheaton).
So Hodgins wants to get involved on special teams after not playing a single coverage/return snap the past two seasons.
DT Jordan Riley
That leaves a lack of depth behind starters Dexter Lawrence and Rakeem Nunez-Roche, especially if the Giants use their fourth-down defensive linemen on more snaps than they have in the past.
Veteran Jordan Phillips not participating in OTAs opens up an opportunity for Riley, who has distanced himself from late 2022 draft pick DJ Davidson, to prove he can be more than just a backup to Lawrence.
Ryder Anderson also has a chance to stop the Giants from scouring the free agent market.
WR Wan’Dale Robinson
Robinson is one year removed from a torn ACL and has 24 catches for 260 yards in his last five games, sparking optimism about a potential breakout season for him in his third season.
The Giants are trying Robinson as a kick returner (under new NFL rules, ball carriers are rewarded for forcing missed tackles) and punt returner.
Whereas the creative Daboll could dictate the play, Robinson could also get the ball out of the backfield.
What you lose
DB Nick MacLeod
It will be Cordale Flotte, not McCloud, who gets the first opportunity as the starting outside cornerback.
McCloud has been working out with the starters in the slot, a position that has rookie third-round pick Jrue Phillips in the spotlight.
If McLeod is returned to a special teams and No. 2 super sub role, general manager Joe Sean could have the power to force a pay cut on McLeod’s $2.9 million nonguaranteed salary later in the summer, as he did with Slayton in 2022 and Darnay Holmes in 2023.
RB Devin Singletary
If you were hoping Singletary could become a Saquon Barkley-like workhorse after he recorded more than 200 carries for the first time in his five-year career with the Texans last season, you might want to think again.
Eric Gray, Tyrone Tracy, Ja’Sean Corbin and Dante Miller have taken turns doing 11-on-11 drills to help organize the depth behind Singletary.
If a second option with explosive power emerges, he would be a threat to take carries from Singletary.
TE Daniel Bellinger
Bellinger did not practice last Thursday for unknown reasons, as he is set to reclaim the starting spot he held as a rookie in 2022 if Darren Waller retires as expected. Bellinger is a good combination of pass-catcher and blocker in the red zone, but how good is his lead in a two-horse tight end system?
The Giants could potentially use former receiver Lawrence Cager and/or rookie fourth-round pick Theo Johnson as pass-catchers and free agent additions Chris Manharts and/or Jack Stoll as blockers.
LT Josh Ezeudu
With starters Andrew Thomas (rest) and Evan Neal (rehab) unavailable for the 11-on-11 game, Ezeudu has been practicing at left tackle and is likely to be the swing tackle. Drafted as a guard in 2022, Ezeudu was forced to play left tackle with little practice time early last season and completely lost his confidence (he allowed five sacks in five starts).
At least he’s been practicing this offseason, but he’s no match for pass rusher Brian Barnes.
It’s possible that Matt Nelson (rehabilitating) or Yodney Cajuste could end up raiding Ezeudu and moving him back inside.
